Today, Dr. Ramanathan Raju, the COO of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corp., was selected as the Chief Executive Officer for the Cook County Health and Hospitals System (CCHHS). Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle issued the following statement. “I want to congratulate Dr. Raju on his appointment to the independent Cook County Health and Hospitals System as the new Chief Executive Officer. I fully expect he will understand the strength and critical importance of our public health institutions here in Cook County and across the country.

Lobbyists were paid nearly $1 million during the first half of 2011 as they attempted to influence Cook County officials, although the number of reported contacts dropped by nearly 10 percent, Clerk David Orr announced Monday. The 178 active lobbyists in Cook County earned $924,136 and reported 632 lobbying contacts from January to June, down from 700 contacts during the last half of 2010, according to data released by Orr. “From the activity reported, we know county officials were lobbied about the budget, the proposed closure of Oak Forest Hospital, contracts and more,” Orr said.

From the Cook County Department of Environmental Control: Persons with heart or respiratory ailments are advised to limit activities and remain indoors. Participants in the Partners for Clean Air Program are requested to initiate their activities.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle issued the following statement supporting Sheriff Tom Dart’s recent public comments on the Cook County Jail system. I applaud Sheriff Dart’s recent public statements highlighting the troubling inconsistencies in current Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies that are in place at the Cook County Jail system. The disincentive for the thousands of immigrants in our County – including lawful immigrants and permanent residents – to cooperate with local law enforcement places a great strain on our communities.

From the Cook County Department of Environmental Control: Today, Wednesday, July 20, 2011, has been declared an Air Pollution Action Day.  An Air Pollution Action Day is declared when weather conditions are such that levels of ozone/particulate matter are expected to be above the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category of the Air Quality Index Persons with heart or respiratory ailments are advised to limit activities and remain indoors. Participants in the Partners for Clean Air Program are requested to initiate their activities.  The general public can help reduce ozone levels by

Cook County Clerk David Orr issued 831 civil union licenses during June, the first month civil union licenses were issued in Illinois. It's thrilling to see so many happy couples getting licenses and celebrating their relationships, Orr said. My office is dedicated to making this milestone special for each and every couple.

The Clerk's office collected more than $37,000 through July 15 in new revenues from civil union application fees, civil union certificates and duplicate copies of records.

Commissioner Joan Patricia Murphy was appointed in February to President Obama’s National Ocean Council Governance Coordinating Committee (NOCGCC) established under Executive Order 13547. As a local government representative for NOC Murphy joins a group of state, local, and tribal officials to deliberate and coordinate with the Federal government on the National Ocean Policy and related matters of inter-jurisdictional collaboration and cooperation.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle submitted the County’s Master Bond Ordinance yesterday as the government takes steps to restructure its debt and establish itself on a more sound financial footing. The ordinance was introduced and referred to the Finance Committee. “Government at every level faces significant economic hardship,” President Preckwinkle said.

Three years after the Cook County Sheriff’s Office took over full-time policing duties in Ford Heights, children from that community are getting the opportunity to learn more about the world around them and the officers who serve and protect them on a daily basis. Sheriff Dart’s Youth Camp kicks off this week with activities aimed at not only improving the minds and bodies of more than 50 kids ages 9 to 11, but also improving relations with those who usually only see sheriff’s staff associated with negative incidents. “Building trust with a community is a key component to successful policing

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced today that her administration has identified wide-reaching problems with Project Shield and are taking immediate steps to correct the waste of tax-payer dollars and life-threatening risks the project poses. With federal grant funding under the Homeland Security Urban Area Security Initiative going towards this project at a significant cost to taxpayers, President Preckwinkle made overhauling the program a priority.